Spring self-locking tenon and groove type immersed tube joint and construction method

Abstract

The application discloses a spring self-locking tenon and groove type immersed tube joint and a construction method, relates to the technical field of immersed tube tunnel connection, and comprises a self-locking joint composed of a butt joint immersed tube joint, a tenon component and an elastic locking groove; the tenon is pre-buried in a rear pipe, an elastic locking groove with a spring and a circular arc clamping groove is arranged in a front pipe, a hinge plate is matched to form a grouting cavity, and a matched grouting pipe is used to pour superfine cement slurry. A three-element ethylene-propylene sealing gasket is arranged on the upper portion of the butt joint end of the pipe joint, and a steel edge composite omega waterstop is arranged at the lower portion of the butt joint end to form double-layer waterproofing. When the butt joint is performed, the tenon is pushed into the locking groove, the spring drives the circular arc clamping groove to be automatically clamped to realize self-locking, and then grouting and anchoring are performed; and a matched construction method clearly indicates control indexes such as component size, pre-buried precision and spring stiffness calculation. The joint can be quickly butt jointed and self-locked, has high integrity after grouting, has good double-layer waterstop anti-seepage effect, and has reliable anchoring of the pre-buried part, is suitable for longitudinal connection of various immersed tube tunnel pipe joints, and is convenient to construct and durable and anti-seepage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of immersed tunnel connection technology, and in particular to a spring-loaded self-locking tenon joint for immersed tunnel sections and its construction method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of cross-river and cross-sea transportation projects, immersed tunnels have been widely used due to their advantages such as shallow burial depth, strong cross-sectional adaptability, and excellent waterproof performance. As the core part of the structure that is weak in terms of stress and waterproofing, the joint of the pipe section directly determines the safety of the tunnel for a hundred years of service.

[0003] Currently, both domestically and internationally, immersed tunnel segments generally employ a rigid steel tenon and groove connection structure combined with temporary tensioning and anchoring, along with GINA waterstops to achieve joint sealing. However, existing conventional immersed tunnel segment joints exhibit several inherent defects during actual construction and long-term operation. Firstly, traditional tenon and groove joints are rigid, non-deformable steel structures with no adaptive deformation allowance between the tenon and the locking groove. During underwater floating and docking of immersed tunnel segments, horizontal offsets, vertical height differences, and minor torsional deviations are unavoidable, making them prone to jamming. This necessitates repeated adjustments and repositioning of the segments, resulting in significant underwater alignment difficulties, extremely low error tolerance, substantial time commitment for large-scale surface equipment operations, and low construction efficiency. Secondly, traditional rigid tenon and groove joints only provide guidance and limiting functions, lacking automatic self-locking capabilities. After segment docking, numerous temporary tensioning steel bundles, jacks, and limiting fixtures must be deployed for continuous pressure maintenance and fixation. The installation, tensioning, and subsequent dismantling of these fixtures are cumbersome, the underwater working space is limited, and the construction risks are high. Furthermore, the removal of temporary components can easily cause localized damage to the joint's corrosion protection and the concrete structure.

[0004] Meanwhile, traditional integral rigid tenon-groove embedded parts are prone to displacement and deformation during the prefabrication of pipe sections due to the lateral pressure of concrete pouring. The prefabrication accuracy control of components is stringent, resulting in high rework and scrap rates and high prefabrication production costs. Conventional joints rely on external tensioning structures to maintain the compression of the waterstop, causing the GINA waterstop to be under fatigue stress for a long time, resulting in rapid aging and short service life. Moreover, the repair and grouting construction after joint defects occur are difficult, and the subsequent operation and maintenance costs are high. It is difficult to meet the long-term safe operation requirements of immersed tunnels under complex hydrogeological conditions. Therefore, this invention proposes a spring self-locking tenon-groove type immersed tunnel pipe section joint. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint, the specific technical solution of which is as follows: A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type immersed tunnel section joint includes two immersed tunnel sections with mating joints. A joint body is connected to both immersed tunnel sections. The joint body includes: The tenon component is embedded in the rear section of the immersed tube. The bottom end of the tenon component is fixedly connected to the embedded steel bar of the tenon component through a connecting steel plate. The embedded steel bar of the tenon component is embedded in the first section of the immersed tube. The elastic locking groove is installed inside the front section of the immersed tube. The elastic locking groove includes an elastic locking groove steel plate one, an elastic locking groove steel plate two, an arc-shaped groove, and a pre-embedded steel plate one. The elastic locking groove steel plate one, the elastic locking groove steel plate two, and the arc-shaped groove are all provided in two sets and distributed vertically. The elastic locking groove steel plate one and the elastic locking groove steel plate two are hinged together. The arc-shaped groove is provided on the elastic locking groove steel plate two. The two sets of arc-shaped grooves together secure the front end of the tenon member. Multiple springs are provided on the outer side of the elastic locking groove steel plate two. There are two pre-embedded steel plates one, which are symmetrically distributed. Both pre-embedded steel plates one are pre-embedded inside the front section of the immersed tube, and the two pre-embedded steel plates one are respectively fixedly connected to the springs connected to the elastic locking groove steel plate two.

[0006] Furthermore, the elastic locking groove also includes a second embedded steel plate and a hinge plate. The second embedded steel plate is embedded in the front section of the immersed tube and is connected to two first embedded steel plates. Two sets of hinge plates are provided and symmetrically distributed. The two sets of hinge plates are located at the docking end of the elastic locking groove. The second embedded steel plate, the two sets of hinge plates, and the two first embedded steel plates together form the clamping space.

[0007] Furthermore, the folding plate includes a first folding plate and a second folding plate, wherein the first folding plate and the second folding plate are hinged together.

[0008] Furthermore, the second embedded steel plate, the two sets of hinged flap steel plates, and the two embedded steel plates are all equipped with elastic locking groove embedded reinforcing bars, which are embedded in the second section of the immersed tube.

[0009] Furthermore, the pre-embedded steel plate is fixedly connected to multiple grouting pipes, which are connected to the clamp space and deliver the existing grouting slurry to the clamp space.

[0010] Furthermore, both of the immersed tube sections are provided with connecting grooves at their mating ends, and the two connecting grooves are connected together to an EPDM elastic sealing gasket, which is located above the tube section joint body.

[0011] Furthermore, an Ω-shaped waterstop is provided at the joint of the two immersed tube sections, and the Ω-shaped waterstop is located below the main body of the tube section joint.

[0012] Furthermore, the Ω-shaped waterstop is a steel-edged composite Ω-shaped waterstop.

[0013] The present invention also provides a construction method for implementing a spring-loaded self-locking tongue-and-groove type submerged pipe joint, the specific steps of which include the following: Step 1: Based on the existing immersed tunnel structure dimensions and stress calculations, plan to pre-embed tenon components and elastic locking grooves on the cross-sections of the two immersed tunnel sections that need to be connected. Step 2: After the front section of the immersed tunnel is fixed, align the tenon of the rear section with the position of the elastic locking groove, push the tenon into the elastic locking groove and lock it in place. Step 3: After the tenon and the elastic locking groove are connected, the grout is injected and filled through the grouting pipe; Step 4: Install the Ω waterstop. After installation, grout the inside of the Ω waterstop.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention compared to the prior art are: (1) Automatic self-locking during docking, high construction efficiency. This invention adopts a self-locking structure with spring-driven arc groove and protruding tenon. The immersed tube can be automatically locked and fixed by pushing it in. No additional fastening components are required, which greatly shortens the time of pipe section splicing and simplifies the underwater immersed tube docking construction process.

[0015] (2) The joint has high overall rigidity and reliable longitudinal stress. The tenon and elastic locking groove are equipped with pre-embedded steel bars and ultra-fine cement grouting for solidification. The tenon and groove interlocking + grouting are integrated into the molding process. The joint has excellent longitudinal tensile and shear resistance, which can resist the risk of pipe section cracking caused by tunnel settlement and water pressure.

[0016] (3) Double-layer composite waterproofing, seepage prevention and durability. The upper part of the joint is equipped with EPDM elastic sealing gasket, and the lower part is equipped with steel-edged composite Ω waterstop to form a double waterstop system. Combined with the grouting inside the joint to fill the gap, it effectively prevents groundwater from seeping from the joint, and the seepage prevention effect of the underwater tunnel is long-lasting.

[0017] (4) The structure is highly adjustable and adaptable. The number of layers, spacing and size of the tenon components can be flexibly adjusted according to the wall thickness and stress requirements of the immersed tube. The spring stiffness can be accurately calculated using the formula F=kx to match the thrust of the tube section, adapting to immersed tube tunnel projects with different spans and water depths.

[0018] (5) The embedded parts are corrosion resistant and durable with a long service life. All embedded steel plates and steel bars are coated with anti-corrosion coatings at the factory. The grouting slurry wraps the metal components to isolate them from water corrosion. The joints are not easily corroded or damaged during long-term underwater service, which reduces the cost of tunnel inspection and maintenance in the later stage.

[0019] (6) The construction indicators are standardized, the project is controllable, and complete construction control parameters are provided. Quantitative standards are given for pre-embedded accuracy, component gap, grouting intensity and hinge opening angle. On-site construction quality is easy to control and the construction quality is highly consistent. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal assembly of the connector of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the elastic locking groove cavity of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an independent structural diagram of the tenon component of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of the folding plate of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic locking groove part of the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram: 1-EPDM elastic sealing gasket; 2-Tongue member; 3-Embedded reinforcing bar of the tongue member; 4-Embedded steel plate one; 5-Grouting pipe; 6-Embedded steel plate two; 7-Spring; 8-Folding plate; 8-1-Folding plate steel plate one; 8-2-Folding plate steel plate two; 9-Elastic locking groove; 9-1-Elastic locking groove steel plate one; 9-2-Elastic locking groove steel plate two; 9-3-Circular arc groove; 10-Embedded reinforcing bar of elastic locking groove; 11-Grouting slurry; 12-Ω waterstop; 13-Submerged pipe section. Detailed Implementation

[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] Example

[0026] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type immersed tunnel section joint includes two immersed tunnel sections 13 with mating joints. A joint body is connected to both immersed tunnel sections 13. The joint body includes: Tenon component 2 is embedded in the rear section of the immersed tube 13. The bottom end of the tenon component 2 is fixedly connected with the tenon component embedded steel bar 3, which is embedded in the first section of the immersed tube 13. The elastic locking groove 9 is installed inside the front submerged pipe section 13. The elastic locking groove 9 includes an elastic locking groove steel plate 1 9-1, an elastic locking groove steel plate 2 9-2, and an arc-shaped locking groove 9-3. There are two sets of elastic locking groove steel plates 1 9-1, 2 9-2, and 3, which are distributed vertically. The elastic locking groove steel plate 1 9-1 is hinged to the elastic locking groove steel plate 2 9-2. The arc-shaped locking groove 9-3 is installed on the elastic locking groove steel plate 2 9-2. The two sets of arc-shaped locking grooves 9-3 together secure the front end of the tenon member 2. Multiple springs 7 are installed on the outer side of the elastic locking groove steel plate 2 9-2.

[0027] The elastic locking groove 9 also includes a first embedded steel plate 4, a second embedded steel plate 6, and a hinge plate 8. Two first embedded steel plates 4 are provided and symmetrically distributed. Both first embedded steel plates 4 are embedded within the front section of the immersed tube 13, and are fixedly connected to springs 7 connected to the second embedded steel plate 9-2 of the elastic locking groove. The second embedded steel plate 6 is embedded within the front section of the immersed tube 13 and is connected to the two first embedded steel plates 4. Two sets of hinge plates 8 are provided and symmetrically distributed. The two sets of hinge plates 8 are located at the joint end of the elastic locking groove 9. The second embedded steel plate 6, the two sets of hinge plates 8, and the two first embedded steel plates 4 together form the clamping space. The hinge plate 8 includes a first hinge plate 8-1 and a second hinge plate 8-2, which are hinged together. The embedded steel plate 26, the two sets of hinged flap steel plates 8-1, and the two embedded steel plates 4 are all equipped with elastic locking groove embedded steel bars 10. The elastic locking groove embedded steel bars 10 are embedded in the second section of the immersed tube 13. The embedded steel plate 26 is fixedly connected to multiple grouting pipes 5. The multiple grouting pipes 5 are connected to the clamp space and transport the existing grouting slurry 11 to the clamp space. The joint ends of the two sections of the immersed tube 13 are equipped with connecting grooves. The two connecting grooves are connected to EPDM elastic sealing gaskets 1. EPDM elastic sealing gaskets 1 are located above the tube joint body. The joint of the two sections of the immersed tube 13 is equipped with installation grooves. The two installation grooves are connected to Ω waterstops 12. Ω waterstops 12 are located below the tube joint body. Ω waterstops 12 are steel-edged composite Ω waterstops.

[0028] First, embed the tenon component 2 and the embedded parts in the elastic locking groove 9 at the docking end of the immersed tube section 13, and simultaneously install the EPDM elastic sealing gasket 1 and the pre-embedded grouting pipe 5. Push the front end of the tenon component 2 into the elastic locking groove 9. At this time, the hinge plate 8-2 is attached to the tenon component 2. Then, the two arc-shaped slots 9-3 are clamped by the elastic force of multiple springs 7. After the connection is completed, ultrafine cement grout is injected through the grouting pipe 5 until the ultrafine cement grout fills the elastic locking groove 9. At this time, the joint is fixed.

[0029] A construction method for implementing a spring-loaded self-locking tongue-and-groove type sunken pipe joint includes the following steps: Step 1: Based on the existing immersed tunnel structure dimensions and stress calculations, plan to pre-embed tenon components 2 and elastic locking grooves 9 on the cross sections of the two immersed tunnel sections 13 that need to be connected. At the same time, install EPDM elastic sealing gaskets 1 and pre-embed grouting pipes 5. The lengths of the pre-embedded reinforcing bars 3 and 10 of the elastic locking groove in the tenon component meet the anchorage length specified in the standard. The diameters of the pre-embedded reinforcing bars 3 and 10 of the elastic locking groove in the tenon component, as well as the thicknesses of the pre-embedded steel plates 4, 6, 8-1, and connecting steel plates, are calculated and determined according to the longitudinal connection stiffness requirements. The diameters of the pre-embedded reinforcing bars 3 and 10 of the elastic locking groove in the tenon component are not less than 25mm, and the thicknesses of the pre-embedded steel plates 4, 6, 8-1, and connecting steel plates are not less than 20mm.

[0030] The length and spacing of the tenon component 2 are calculated and determined according to the longitudinal connection stiffness requirements. The length of the tenon component 2 is not less than 500mm and the spacing is not greater than 2000mm. The number of layers of the tenon component 2 and the elastic locking groove 9 are adjusted according to the thickness of the sinking pipe section 13. The embedding accuracy of each embedded part in the tenon component 2 and the elastic locking groove 9 is ≤2mm vertically and ≤5mm horizontally. Each embedded part in the tenon component 2 and the elastic locking groove 9 should be coated with anti-corrosion paint to ensure its durability.

[0031] The requirements for spring 7 in elastic locking groove 9 are as follows: The formulas for calculating the spring force and displacement in an elastic locking groove are as follows:

[0032] In the formula, This refers to the spring displacement, specifically the height of the protrusion of the tenon component. For the stiffness of the spring, The vertical force is the resultant force of the longitudinal thrust of the pipe section after it is converted by the steel plate that opens through the elastic locking groove.

[0033] The requirements for the hinge plate 8 in the elastic locking groove 9 are as follows: after the two hinge plates 8-2 of the two submerged pipe sections 13 are closed before docking, the gap is ≤1mm, and the rotation angle between the hinge plates 8-1 and 8-2 is ≤90°.

[0034] Step 2: After the front section of the immersed tube 13 is fixed, align the tenon 2 of the rear section of the immersed tube 13 with the position of the elastic locking groove 9, push the tenon 2 into the elastic locking groove 9 and lock it in place; the manufacturing accuracy of the tenon 2 and the elastic locking groove 9 is ≤2mm, and the gap between the two arc-shaped grooves 9-3 and the front end of the tenon 2 is ≤1mm.

[0035] Step 3: After the tenon component 2 and the elastic locking groove 9 are connected, the grouting slurry 11 is injected and filled through the grouting pipe 5; the grouting slurry 11 is made of ultrafine cement slurry, and the strength grade after grouting is not lower than the strength of the sinking pipe section 13 itself.

[0036] Step 4: Install the Ω waterstop 12. After installation, grout the inside of the Ω waterstop 12. A grouting pipe 5 is reserved inside the Ω waterstop 12.

[0037] The above embodiments only illustrate one or more implementations of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type immersed tube joint, comprising two immersed tube sections (13) with mating joints, wherein the two immersed tube sections (13) are connected together by a joint body, characterized in that, The connector body includes: The tenon component (2) is embedded in the rear section of the immersed tube (13). The bottom end of the tenon component (2) is fixedly connected to the tenon component embedded steel bar (3) by the connecting steel plate. The tenon component embedded steel bar (3) is embedded in the first section of the immersed tube (13). The elastic locking groove (9) is set in the front section of the submerged pipe section (13). The elastic locking groove (9) includes an elastic locking groove steel plate one (9-1), an elastic locking groove steel plate two (9-2), an arc groove (9-3), and a pre-embedded steel plate one (4). The elastic locking groove steel plate one (9-1), the elastic locking groove steel plate two (9-2), and the arc groove (9-3) are all provided in two sets and distributed vertically. The elastic locking groove steel plate one (9-1) and the elastic locking groove steel plate two (9-2) are hinged together. The arc groove is... (9-3) is set on the second elastic locking groove steel plate (9-2). The upper and lower sets of the arc grooves (9-3) together secure the front end of the tenon member (2). Multiple springs (7) are set on the outer side of the second elastic locking groove steel plate (9-2). There are two embedded steel plates (4) and they are symmetrically distributed. Both embedded steel plates (4) are embedded in the front section of the sinking pipe section (13). The two embedded steel plates (4) are respectively fixedly connected to the springs (7) connected to the second elastic locking groove steel plate (9-2).

2. The spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic locking groove (9) also includes a second embedded steel plate (6) and a hinge plate (8). The second embedded steel plate (6) is embedded in the front section of the immersed tube (13). The second embedded steel plate (6) is connected to two first embedded steel plates (4). There are two sets of hinge plates (8) symmetrically distributed. The two sets of hinge plates (8) are set at the docking end of the elastic locking groove (9). The second embedded steel plate (6), the two sets of hinge plates (8) and the two first embedded steel plates (4) together form the clamping space.

3. The spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The folding plate (8) includes a first folding plate (8-1) and a second folding plate (8-2), which are hinged together.

4. A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The pre-embedded steel plate 2 (6), the two sets of folding flap steel plates 1 (8-1) and the two pre-embedded steel plates 1 (4) are all equipped with elastic locking groove pre-embedded steel bars (10), and the elastic locking groove pre-embedded steel bars (10) are pre-embedded in the second section of the immersed tube section (13).

5. A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The pre-embedded steel plate 2 (6) is fixedly connected to multiple grouting pipes (5), and the multiple grouting pipes (5) are connected to the clamp space and transport the existing grouting slurry (11) to the clamp space.

6. The spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Both of the two submerged pipe sections (13) are provided with connecting grooves at their docking ends. The two connecting grooves are connected together to a EPDM elastic sealing gasket (1), which is located above the pipe section joint body.

7. A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 6, characterized in that: An Ω-shaped waterstop (12) is provided at the joint of the two submerged pipe sections (13), and the Ω-shaped waterstop (12) is located below the main body of the pipe section joint.

8. A spring-loaded self-locking tenon-groove type recessed pipe joint as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The Ω-shaped waterstop (12) is a steel-edged composite Ω-shaped waterstop.

9. A construction method for implementing the spring-locking tenon-groove type submerged pipe joint according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The specific steps include the following: Step 1: Based on the existing immersed tunnel structure dimensions and stress calculations, plan to pre-embed tenon components (2) and elastic locking grooves (9) on the cross sections of the two immersed tunnel sections (13) that need to be connected. Step 2: After the front section of the immersed tube (13) is fixed, align the tenon (2) of the rear section of the immersed tube (13) with the position of the elastic locking groove (9), push the tenon (2) into the elastic locking groove (9) and lock it in place; Step 3: After the tenon component (2) and the elastic locking groove (9) are connected, the grouting slurry (11) is injected and filled through the grouting pipe (5); Step 4: Install the Ω waterstop (12). After installation, grout the inside of the Ω waterstop (12).

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